The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has announced a significant extension of the IP5 Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH) pilot program, continuing cooperation with the European Patent Office (EPO), the Japan Patent Office (JPO), the Ministry of Intellectual Property (MOIP) of the Republic of Korea, and the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA). Originally scheduled to end on January 5, 2026, the program has now been extended for an additional three years, until January 5, 2029.
The USPTO has implemented stringent requirements that restrict claim amendments in applications pursued through the PPH program, which can limit the practical value of using PPH in the United States. Nevertheless, it is encouraging that U.S. allowances can continue to serve as a basis for accelerated examination in the IP5 offices.
Author(s)
Related Insights
November 2, 2026
Foley Viewpoints
Doing Business in Mexico: Detailed Contracts Are Key to Defending the Tax Treatment of Your Transactions Before the SAT
Several recent Mexican court precedents (criterios judiciales) establish that generic contracts are not, on their own, sufficient to give tax effect to transactions invoiced between the companies that enter into them.
November 2, 2026
Foley Viewpoints
Recent Circuit Court Cases Examine the Limited Partner Self-Employment Tax Exception
Two recent Circuit Court of Appeals cases have provided additional guidance on the scope of the self-employment tax exception for limited partners’ distributive share of partnership income under Section 1402(a)(13).
November 2, 2026
Foley Viewpoints
In re Cloudflare: The Section 144 Safe Harbor Remains Strong, but Plaintiffs Pry Open the “Good Faith and Without Gross Negligence” Door a Little Further
The defendants won on every statutory argument, but the plaintiffs still prevailed on one point: They showed a reasonable probability that the special committee did not act “in good faith.”